28 January 2009 – Publication of DWP research report 559: Spending priorities in the benefits system: deliberative research with the public

Research published on 27th January 2009 by the Department for Work and Pensions (Report 559) explores public attitudes to how the working age budget should be spent.

A series of interactive workshops were set up to run over a period of a day and a half. Participants were given a series of key facts and arguments about customer groups and departmental targets (e.g. child poverty) to see how they would respond to these stimuli and arrive at decisions. Participants were expected to come up with an answer to the overarching research question: If you were in charge of approximately £60bn of working age benefit expenditure, how would you prioritise the money?

The deliberative technique used in this research was intended to provide ‘rich and extensive data’ on public perceptions and attitudes. However it does not provide findings that are representative of a wider, more generalised population. Results will need to be interpreted with this caution in mind.

The findings from this report can be divided into 5 key headings:

1. Principles of state support:

• participants strongly supported the idea of the welfare state and financial support for those that need it; 
• participants also believe that work should be at the centre of welfare and that as many people as possible should take active steps to secure employment;
• there were contradictory views expressed about the levels of benefits – on the one hand they perceived that the level of state support was too low whereas on the other they thought that it encourages reliance; and
• there was an awareness of the challenges faced by the welfare state including issues such as migration, ageing population, the worsening economic climate and unrealistic expectations about job opportunities.

2. Attitudes towards DWP:

• there was limited awareness of the responsibilities of DWP. For example many thought DWP had responsibility for tax credits and child benefit; and
• once they had been given appropriate information, participants were broadly in agreement with the aims of the DWP Strategic Objectives. For example, they believed that it was right to work towards the eradication of child poverty by 2020.

3. The needs of DWP customers:

• participants felt that those with care of children, the sick and disabled, and carers were a priority;
• there were mixed views about both the long and short term unemployed. Some felt that the long term unemployed were in need of more sanctions if they didn’t take a job whereas others recognised the importance of skills training and support to overcome low esteem. Some felt that early intervention was important to try and avoid long periods of unemployment; and
• there was little support for workless couples although there was recognition that this group may need special support in confidence building. Couples without children had no excuses for being unemployed and where children were involved, it was felt that at least one member of the family should actively be looking for work.

4. Determining levels of support:

• the levels of benefits should be enough to cover needs for all groups. However for some groups such as the disabled it was felt that benefits should cover wants as well; and
• participants highlighted two main differentials which separate someone from being deserving or otherwise. These were the extent to which an individual had personal choice over their circumstances while the second was related to the amount of effort they put in to changing them assuming they were able to do so.

5. Allocating the non-pension budget:

• when making decisions about the levels of state support that should be provided to each of the DWP customer groups, participants considered how deserving they thought each group to be, how different benefits interacted and the caseloads.

Notes to Editors

This report explores public attitudes to how the working age budget should be spent. The report was produced by the independent research organisation, Ipsos MORI.

Research Report 559 – Spending priorities in the Benefits System: Deliberative research with the public is published on 27 January 2009. The report is available on the DWP website and hard copies can be obtained from Paul Noakes, Room 4-26, The Adelphi, 1-11 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6HT.

 

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